Sunsets, Earthquakes, and Hurricanes... OH MY!

We have had quite the week here in Philadelphia. Just in this week we've seen beautiful sunsets, like the picture I posted here, right out our living room window most nights, we've experienced an east coast earthquake, and we are about to experience our first hurricane. Clearly, we are much bigger fans of the sunsets than the earthquakes and hurricanes, but it's definitely made things exciting!

The earthquake happened this last Tuesday and we definitely felt it! I was in the extra bedroom studying on the bed and David was in the living room watching TV. I thought I felt the bed actually moving but I really wasn't sure at first, because an earthquake is not something I even realized was possible out here. Then we heard the person above us loudly run across his floor (and we've NEVER heard anyone upstairs before). After that the movement picked up and I could definitely tell something was up and "earthquake" started registering. I came into the living room and David said, "What the heck?" Standing in the hall way and looking out the living room window I could really tell we were definitely moving. Then it stopped after about only 30 seconds or so. I looked at David and said, "I'm sure that was an earthquake, but can they even have those out here?" We turned on the news and sure enough, there had been a shallow 5.9 earthquake in Virigina just minutes before. It was nothing very serious, but definitely exciting and a little unnerving. Weird to think about how that affects this big, giant, tall building we're in. Hopefully that's the last of the earthquakes for now.

Then of course, we now have Hurricane Irene making it's way up the coast towards us. I also never really realized they got hurricanes in Philadelphia either, probably because I didn't really realize before we moved here just how close to the coast it is. The hurricane is supposed to make it's way in late tomorrow (Saturday) and be the worst during the night and then slow down by Sunday afternoon. They are telling us to expect anywhere from 4"-10" of rain and sustained winds of about 50mph. There is a hurricane watch, flood watch, and we're supposed to expect power outages. We feel totally safe here in our apartment, but I worry about all the other people and places that may not feel as safe as we do here and are bracing themselves. David and I went to the Wal-Mart today to stock up on some food and water and it was NUTS! The places was PACKED with people, there were long lines at every check out station and the shelves were pretty bare. I asked the check out clerk if it had been like this all day and he said, "Yep, since 8am this morning. This HAS to have been worse than Black Friday!" He looked exhausted. I also heard they were sold out of flashlights and batteries! Wow! We are all set to go though. We have plenty of food and water and our flashlight ready.

There ARE other things going on besides mother nature's excitement though! I was on campus three days this week; taking tests, going to meetings, going to orientations, etc. I can't believe how much more comfortable I feel now than I did three days ago. I got to meet with the music ed faculty and the other music ed TA's. I found out I am actually the only first year graduate student that was selected to be a TA this year! I'm excited to work with everyone and everyone has been incredibly helpful so far. I also took 4 tests this week: "music history, aural theory, counterpoint, and theory analysis." I wish I could say they all went "GREAT!" But they were all INCREDIBLY difficult. Most students I heard walking out all felt the same way. In fact I haven't talked to one person yet that didn't think the tests were pretty darn hard. I've even been studying for them, hard! Ask David! But I guess it just means there is more for me to learn (and remember) in these areas and it's worth taking the remedial courses so I'm an expert! Besides, it's free! Anyway, I'm happy all those are over and excited to start classes this week. I'm still not sure of my classes yet because I have to audition for ensembles on Wednesday. After that, I'll know whether I'll be playing in an ensemble this semester and whether I'll be in oboe lessons, which will affect the rest of my schedule. For sure I'm TA'ing a class on "band pedagogy" (basically the undergraduate's last class before their student teaching), and I'm teaching the "oboe/bassoon methods class" on my own (for undergraduates to learn how to teach those instruments in their band classes). I'm excited for both of those! :-)

David's job search is coming along. He has applied for several jobs and is giving it time to hear back from some before doing some follow up work this next week. He does have one great lead with our friend Heidi out here who put him in touch with a job hunter friend of her's out here. She said she would like to find time to meet with David next week, so hopefully that will help move his process along. It's certainly been nice having him around all the time and coming home to a clean house (yep, you heard me right. I'm talking dishes, laundry, bed made, countertops cleaned; don't know how I got so darn lucky)! But I also am so excited for David to have the opportunity to do something new and further his career.

We both are enjoying the excitement that Philly has to offer us and are looking forward to all that is to come. Until then, a toast to Irene! ;-)

Cheers!